Freezing: Naruto Chronicles
by G3rMan
Summary: A collection of stories that illustrate the trials and tribulations of female pandoras, each with their own unique tale. One thing that unites them all is their involvement with the son of the Red Maelstrom and Yellow Flash, the "Demon of Central Genetics", Uzumaki Naruto.
1. Book Organization Chart

Freezing: Naruto Chronicles

By G3rman

Organizational Chart

Please be aware that the order of the book release is subject to change and should not be considered final. Books may be added or removed as writing develops.

Within each book contains two "stories", and these stories each follow a single female character in her interactions with Naruto. These stories can vary in length, depending on the chapter size and plot development.

Depending on time and popularity, female characters may be revisited after their story is done.

**Books**

**Book One:**

_Fiery Red Heads_

Mei Terumi; Chevalier Captain: "Shining Beauty of the East"

Fuka; 4th Year: "The Limiter Temptress"

**Book Two:**

_Second Years_

Sakura Haruno; 2nd Year: "Scowling Blossom"

Hinata Hyuga; 2nd Year: "Central's Fainting Ghost"

**Book Three:**

_Fragile Peace_

Tsunade; Chevalier Researcher: "Creator of the Divine"

Tayuya; 3rd Year: "Sonic Boom"

**Book Five:**

_Central's Royalty_

Fubuki Kakuyoku; 4th Year: "Ice Queen"

Konan; 4th Year: "Origami Angel"

**Bonus Book:**

_Carnival_

?; 4th year: "Demon of Central"


	2. Book 1 -- Mei Terumi -- 00

Freezing: Naruto Chronicles

Chapter 00

Mei Terumi; "Shining Beauty of the East"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Freezing.**

"Speaking"

_'Thinking'_

"_Whisper/Radio"_

The following stories should not be considered sequential in a chronological order and each one is mostly isolated from the others in plot. They may vary wildly in length and will not necessarily follow any pattern or format.

000

_Kyoto, Japan_

_Dragonfly Flight_

_En-route to Central Genetics_

000

The constant chatter of rotor engines could be heard in the skies of Kyoto, one of Japan's largest cities. A common occurrence since the construction of Central Genetics began in the 2070's, most paid it no heed. If one was interested, they could look to the sky and see three large tilt-rotor aircraft approaching the city center.

On board the transports, the only sound was the hum of the engines and the occasional chatter over the pilot's radio. Because they were not deploying in a combat situation, the crew and by extension their passengers were much more relaxed than usual.

The aircraft had mixed reputations among the Pandora, humanity's warriors against the Nova, as they were often used to transport them to the battlefield. Sometimes, it was the last ride any of them would have and it gave an air of finality when a person rode one.

Another masked voice on the other side of the line made the pilot reach for his helmet transceiver.

"_This Dragonfly 1-1, copy that Central. We are on approach for helipad 1 on runway 2. Precious cargo intact and impatient as ever to get off."_

A snicker came from the direction of his copilot at his last remark. Their eyes shifted to the back but they quickly turned around nervously and straightened themselves in their seats. A slender hand found itself on the back of the pilot's seat, the nails polished in dark blue.

Though her voice was charming, it felt threatening with a hint of tension behind the delivery.

"It has indeed been a long ride from East Genetics, but try to stay professional during the last leg of our journey." They dared not turn around, lest her deadly smile freeze them in place.

"We are counting on you to get us there safely, don't disappoint."

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

The pilot felt his seat stiffen as the hand holding it began to clench.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, yes Captain Terumi! We will most definitely land without any flaws!"

Satisfied with the correction, her hand left his seat. The click clack of her heels toward the back of the aircraft made both of the men sigh with relief. Little words like that seemed to set off the Chevalier captain for no reason, so the entire ride had been a series of ups and downs. That hadn't been the only time when they thought the pandora was on the verge of killing them, and hopefully it was the last.

000

"Captain, was that necessary?" A blonde woman jokingly exclaimed as her partner returned from the cockpit.

"The idiots have been messing around this entire ride Suiren, I think it's fair to make them shake a little." Captain Terumi sat down on the cushioned seats next to her comrade.

Her long auburn hair was curtailed beneath her uniform as she shifted to get comfortable. The blue top knot on her head grazed the low ceiling and for the hundredth time she adjusted her heeled boots that clung to her legs like a second skin.

_'These new Chevalier uniforms may look attractive, but they aren't very free are they?'_ Terumi thought to herself, smoothing some wrinkles from her buxom chest.

"Fair. I just hope you don't act like that when we get to the limiters. You'll scare all the cute ones away." Though she was mostly joking, Suiren meant what she said.

The other women aboard the aircraft laughed as well, trying to lighten the mood. Since their current mission's details had rehashed some old wounds, laughter had been a rarity the entire trip.

Their mission, while it seemed straightforward and simple, meant the difference between being an effective fighting force over having to sit on the sidelines of the war. All the pandora that were arriving at Central had lost their limiter partners since the last large clash, some even longer than that. It was their duty to find new male partners and bond with them in order to increase their fighting effectiveness before the next Nova invasion occurred.

As the Chevalier acted as the formal, organized fighting force of humanity it would not do for some of their best to be stuck at such a disadvantage. That was why, under orders from their superiors, all Chevalier pandoras within Japan that were without limiters were ordered to convene in the newly built Central Genetics academy for immediate selection of new partners.

When the Captain did so little as to snicker at the joke, Suiren frowned. There was a great connection between pandora, as they all had been put through the same training and often experienced the same horrors of war. For her friend to still be so against selecting a new partner, it was disheartening.

"Mei.." She reached out with a comforting hand, placing it on the red head's shoulder. "We can't stay in the past forever. Eventually, we have to move on."

A tuft of hair covered Mei's right eye which made it difficult to tell what expression she was making, but the quiet made it seem like she was deep in thought. The partnership between a pandora and her male limiter often went beyond the simple confines of professionalism: many pandora who retired went on to marry their chosen partners, and rarely did they ever separate. Since the relationship started in a school environment, when both pandora and their junior limiters were young, it was hard to leave feelings like that behind.

The green band around Suiren's wrist signified her partner's lasting connection to her heart. Since his death in the 15th clash, she hadn't parted with the antiquated decoration because it had been a gift for their anniversary. In all honesty, it was doubtful she could fully commit herself to someone new like her first, but for her duty she would try.

"It isn't that, Suiren." Mei reassured with a small grin, though it dropped quickly. "I'm concerned about involving inexperienced limiters with the Chevalier. None of them have combat experience and they are expected to follow us to the front straight from academy."

It was hard to argue with that logic. There simply weren't enough of the third years to staff the needed positions, so younger boys from the second and first year were collected based on aptitude and compatibility tests. They were going to be choosing possible lifetime partners, and yet there was no room to be picky.

As Chevalier, they would have to throw away their personal comfort in order to ensure they were in the best shape possible to protect humanity. Those young men were going to be asked to do the same, and it was saddening.

"Yes, I suppose you're right." The rest of the ride was settled in uncomfortable silence.

Before they landed, Mei ran through the dossiers of limiters matched to her one last time. Though it hadn't been long since they received their mobilization orders, she had memorized each one in her head. There was one boy she kept thinking about, and perhaps it was what had soured her mood the most so far. The comments made about him, the rumors throughout Genetics about his abilities, the psychological evaluations; everything pointed to him not being suitable for limiter duty.

So _why_ was she being encouraged to pair with him? What agenda did her commanders have that made that boy so important? She hadn't encountered a situation like that before, and she was unsure how best to handle it.

That was truly why she found herself fidgeting nervously, uncomfortable at the prospect of baptizing with a stranger.

"The Demon of Central", Uzumaki Naruto. What kind of a person was he?

000

_Central Genetics_

_Auditorium _

000

Today the auditorium was a flurry of activity as academy staff did their best to organize more than fifty young men. Dressed in their normal uniforms, most seemed very nervous or confused. Eyes wandered as they tried to search for answers but received none as to why they had been assembled. To prevent panic, the Chevalier requested the candidates for the program were not informed of any details relating to the arriving pandora.

Many of the boys had already been targeted by the local pandoras as possible partners, but through various methods, they were persuaded to look elsewhere. Due to the sensitivity of the operation, the girls on campus were not informed either.

One of the last to arrive was a blonde senior, taller than most of the rest of them. It was almost unheard of for a limiter to reach his fourth year, as they were supposed to graduate with their pandora partner by third year. As such, heads turned in surprise when they saw him come in with two female staff.

"Naruto-kun, please join the assembly." Kurenai Yuuhi, a pandora acting as a school instructor, guided the young man to his place in the auditorium.

She, as well as the other female teacher Anko Mitarashi, did not seem to be frightened or intimidated by the stone cold blonde's expression whatsoever. In fact, the students noticed that regardless of the setting the teachers treated him with utmost respect, despite his reputation in the school.

Taking his place in the first column of boys, Naruto's sour expression remained. It was rare to see him even slightly content with his surroundings and many believed he hated the school, with good reason. Every pandora at the school avoided him like the plague, and the limiters did the same out of fear of being ostracized. Rumor had it that it had been like that since his freshman year there, after a pandora who tried to baptize him was 'rejected'.

The way it was described was that he hurt her, badly. Those that attended to the girl and took her to the recovery center described her skin as burned where she touched him, and so word quickly spread to avoid Naruto at all cost.

Anko noticed the boys staring at the senior with fear and quickly stomped her feet. They turned to face the trench coat wearing instructor who berated them with malice.

"Never seen a blonde kid before? Transfer to America and save us the trouble." The younger limiters stood at attention and looked straight forward, but some of the older ones clenched their teeth at the jab.

Why should they get punished when it was his own fault for being the talk of the school? It was hard not to stare at a freak, regardless of who you were.

Footsteps echoed through the large room that was generally used for school announcements and, rarely, the rally area in case of an attack by the Nova. Kurenai Yuuhi stood in front of the large group of students as she organized her notes on the podium. It was going to be a shock for them when they realized the true purpose of their gathering.

Regardless, it would be better to hear it from her rather than the Chevalier themselves.

"Students." Their eyes fell on Kurenai sensei, hoping she would answer their burning questions. "You have been assembled today to participate in an important directive given to us by the Chevalier."

Chevalier. That word carried weight among all those present, and it was enough to make a few of them squirm nervously.

"I know it was difficult to separate yourselves from the pandoras as we ordered, and I apologize for not being able to tell you before. The true purpose for your isolation is not punishment, but-"

Before she could finally tell them their orders, a set of double doors on the far side of the building swung open. From the hallway came a large procession of pandora, but none the limiters had seen before or recognized. They wore the uniforms of the Chevalier, and the women were old enough to be their instructors rather than fellow students.

Leading them was a tall woman with auburn red hair and blue lipstick. Her piercing emerald eye scanned the boys as she made her way toward the podium where the bespectacled teachers waited.

Kurenai narrowed her eyes as the Chevalier commander approached, annoyed at her forward entrance. As if it wasn't already hard enough for the boys, but now the chevalier pandora were forming up around them as if they were under arrest!

Mei noticed her and immediately recognized the instructor as a well decorated pandora from the 14th clash. So they had instructors with talent at Central, that was good. Nonetheless, her affection for the young boys was admirable but misplaced. It was time for brutal honesty as that was the only way they would be made to understand the difficult position they were all in.

"My apologies, but I felt it best to interrupt so I could be the one to announce it." Kurenai bit her lip but said nothing, moving aside so Mei could speak.

She turned to face the crowd of young men whom had instinctively grouped together as the pandora surrounded them. They looked at her with worry, and she was not there to console them. Their teachers would no longer be able to help them either, as they were soon to be inducted into the largest political organization in the world.

Mei leaned into the microphone to let her voice carry over the entire auditorium. Her eyes wandered the crowd, catching many of the boys looking her way. Most were no older than 15.

"My name is Mei Terumi, and I am a captain in the Chevalier. Today, I am leading this temporary organization of a platoon of pandora to Central Genetics for an important mission, which all of you are involved in."

A mission? None of them had partners, so how were they expected to go out to the front?

Naruto tightened his fists as he began to realize what was going on. So they had become that desperate.

"As of today, each of you will be partnered with one of the pandora currently in attendance. You are not able to reject this order, nor are you allowed to choose who you are paired with. Both of those decisions have already been made by my superiors based on information even I am not completely privy to."

Her eyes locked with Naruto's as she recognized him from the dossier. Those piercing blue eyes almost made her flinch, his expression made a knot in her stomach. That was the son of the Red Maelstrom and Yellow Flash, the boy made infamous with his anti-nova abilities. The same boy that every single pandora rejected and the limiters avoided.

That was Uzumaki Naruto, and it was clear there was some truth to his nickname. She would rather not meet him in a dark alley, if given the choice.

But this time, she had no choice. It was her duty to join with him, to tame his abilities and use them against the Nova in future clashes and conflicts. No pandora before her had succeeded and many almost died with how their bodies reacted to his. What would make her any different?

As her thoughts threatened to spill over, the limiters were lost trying to understand what they had just been told. They were being recruited into the chevalier? Unable to choose their partner? What happened to eating in the cafeteria with friends, going to classes, having fun?

Those times were suddenly at an end and many of them were in shock. Even if they were told some of the risks before entering the academy, none of them expected their ability to choose to be taken away so suddenly. As many of them were from affluent families with servants and wealth, it was a foreign feeling. It didn't leave a good taste in their mouth, but they knew better than to say anything, for now at least.

Terumi cleared her throat to collect herself and bring their attention to the stage again.

"Your instructors will now read off your names, one by one. When called, step forward and follow the orders you receive from your chevalier partner. They will take you to preordained rooms for immediate baptism rites."

The romanticized ceremony was now being streamlined in favor of speed and simplicity. None of them would have magical first times as many of the pandora remembered, but there was little time for formalities.

One by one the boys stepped forward, eyes wide and confused. Each one was taken by the hand and led out of the room with one of the pandoras for his baptism. Some of them began to wonder if it was all a joke, to test their resolve. When none of the boys came back, they realized it was real and they were next.

Slowly, the room cleared as all but Naruto, Mei, and the teachers remained. Kurenai and Anko cast long glances toward Naruto. It was a mix of regret and guilt, followed with sympathy for his confusion. As if his life wasn't already hard enough. A curt nod and slight glare was all they gave the chevalier, but she expected nothing less.

They must have had great respect for Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's mother. Acting as his guardians in her stead took more than just dedication, and she respected them for that. Famous family or no, however, that boy was now the property of the chevalier, and it was her job to ensure their time and money was not wasted.

Mei leaped down from the podium, landing solidly on her feet. In a moment she had closed the distance between them, their noses almost touching. Even without her heels, Mei still would have been taller than him, and so her eyes had to angle down to meet his glare.

"Naruto Uzumaki...I've heard quite a lot about you before coming here." She smiled, her eyes wandered his body as she assessed his physical condition.

Very healthy was the first thing to come to mind. Despite being a bit shorter than her, he was larger and had a physique to be respected. Not having a partner did not seem to stop his dedication to physical activity, or his studies for that matter. Teacher bias aside, he was considered a model student from the reports she read. Despite all that, he was unable to find a partner that could handle his unique abilities and so he was a failure as a limiter as far as the pandora were concerned.

The chevalier scientists had a different mindset as they were the ones who made him into what he was today. The first male that could truly be considered an offensive weapon against the Nova, though he had never been able to prove that title true.

"Are you done sizing me up like meat?" She stopped what she was doing and met his eyes, her smile dropped.

"I suppose." A moment of silence. "Do you have something you want to say to me before we begin?"

His entire body was tense as if he was holding back a wave of emotions, mostly anger it seemed. Whatever experiences he had with pandora, or the chevalier, had clearly left a mark on him he was not eager to shake off.

"Yes: don't try and baptize me."

Her hands fell to her hips and she began to smile again, this time with confidence.

"Oh? Concerned you'll hurt me?"

"Don't be an idiot." A tic formed as she weathered the insult without snapping. "You must have read my files, you know what I am."

"And what if I don't? What do they say about you?" She crossed her arms in mock defiance.

If he wanted to be act like that, she would entertain him. Perhaps she could figure something out about him that would help her understand why all the other pandoras had failed. As it was now, she doubted she would have any different experience during the ceremony.

"I kill pandoras if they get close to me, and I'm cursed because of it."

Mei narrowed her eyes and realized that the rumor mill was just as harsh as it was when she was in the academy. Despite the heavy words Naruto seemed to quote from the student body, he didn't seem to care. Obviously, he had grown accustomed to it.

"Who said that?"

Naruto's eyes seemed to flash red for a moment before he muttered the answer under his breath.

"Every pandora in Japan's Genetics."

000

Just a short little blurb I decided to write to get myself in the mood. Not sure where this will go, but I've had the idea to write a little batch of short stories for a variety of Naruto girls set in the Freezing universe. Clearly there is more room to go on in Mei's story, but if I update chances are we will start a different plot with a different girl.

You will notice these chapters aren't my usual length and that is because I don't want to force myself to write more than I want to. They might vary wildly because of that.

If you are interested in staying active, check out the poll on my profile. Otherwise, leave a review and tell me what you think.

Leaving a review does not constitute asking me to update my other stories, before you write that. They will be updated when the next chapter is written, and I can't predict when that will be.

See ya and hope you enjoyed _Freezing: Naruto Chronicles_.


	3. Book 1 -- Fuka -- 00

Freezing: Naruto Chronicles

Chapter 00

Fuka; "The Limiter Temptress"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Freezing.**

"Speaking"

_'Thinking'_

"_Whisper/Radio"_

The following stories should not be considered sequential in a chronological order and each one is mostly isolated from the others in plot. They may vary wildly in length and will not necessarily follow any pattern or format.

000

_Naruto-kun._

_Naruto-kun..._

A sweet voice reached out to Naruto in his slumber. His eyes felt heavy as he floated in the abyss, unable to will himself awake. Better to stay sleeping in the peaceful darkness. Aurora lights lit up his mind as he began to awaken, thoughts racing.

Where am I? What have I been doing?

"_Naruto-kun...wake up."_

There it was again, a woman's voice. Tender, caring. Naruto reached out with his hand, but he couldn't reach. The lights changed from a vivid blue to a flash of red. The stringy lines reminded him of threads of hair, and the lights intensified as more memories surfaced.

"Kaa-san."

Her smiling face, so close yet so far. How long had it been since she and Tou-san had...

The tears that once consumed him never came, his face hardening. How long had it been since he stopped mourning their deaths? How much longer would it be until he could finally avenge them? That was what he dedicated his life to, and yet he was stopped at every turn.

The same ability he planned to kill his parent's murderers with was holding him back. How long would it take to find someone that could help him fulfill his dream?

"Kaa-san, help me."

"_Naruto-kun, it's time to wake up."_

To open one's eyes to the answer was not so easy. What would he have to lose before his conscience could be free?

The answers to his questions were to be answered soon, but not as he expected. For now, the first step was to start fresh. Central Genetics would offer the demon inside him another chance of being tamed, but it would be his last.

000

"Naruto-kun?"

"Huh...?"

Finally, he could see. A bright light harmed his eyes and warmth hit his face in waves. Since he had fallen asleep, their progress had made it so the sun's rays were finally in range of the window. A gentle hum could be heard from the engines outside, and that comfortable vibration that had lulled him to sleep persisted in his chair.

Using his hand to block the sun's illumination, he could finally see the person that had been calling out to him. Headmistress of Central Genetics, Tsunade Senju, sat across from Naruto and served to be his only fellow passenger during the transfer. In her robes, she looked as if she was a religious figure, but looks could be deceiving.

The famous "Pioneer of the Divine", Tsunade made great advances in understanding and harnessing the biology of pandoras and their stigmata. It was thanks to her perseverance and ingenuity that the new high end skill, Rejuvenation, could be created and a new class of pandora born.

Now she was able to continue her research while she guided the next generation of fighters from Central Genetics. Many of Naruto's medical procedures had been at least partially overseen by Tsunade, and it was said she went to great lengths to ensure he remained comfortable and as "normal" as possible despite opposition from other Chevalier elements.

Because of that past relationship, Tsunade had kept tabs on Naruto during his time as a limiter. She had followed him from his first year in East Genetics, to his third year in West. Now, she was taking matters into her own hands to ensure his fourth and final year was a success.

"Naruto-kun..geez, you really are a heavy sleeper." Tsunade chided, her lips curving upward.

"Sorry, Headmistress. It was too quiet so I fell asleep." He rubbed his eyes vigorously in an attempt to wipe the exhaustion from himself.

Though his experiences in the past had made him weary of "keeping appearances" and "showing respect" to superiors or peers that didn't care about him, Tsunade was different. Something about her made him feel calm, a great contrast to his generally abrasive behavior. It was as if she radiated a soothing feeling that he couldn't help but enjoy, and sometimes he wondered if it wasn't just his imagination.

It wouldn't be all that surprising to find that Tsunade had such an ability, considering her knowledge of the body. So experienced was she with pandora biology that she had found a way to harness eternal youth. Despite their age difference, Tsunade could be passed off as his older sister without any second thought.

Rumor had it that she, and her bust by extension, were a coveted treasure Central Genetics limiters lorded over the other academies whenever they got the chance. Seeing the woman in person, he could believe every word. Their past didn't allow him to see her in that kind of light though, and had he never known his mother, he would have been tempted to call Tsunade something similar.

"We will be arriving shortly. I hope you are prepared." Upon hearing that, his mood sunk.

Finally, the world had come back into focus as he remembered where they were going. It was time for another year of scorn, another year wasted. No pandora could handle being his partner, and yet it was always _his_ fault. How could he help what they had made him into?

Naruto didn't want to hurt anyone, but he had little control over the power in his body. That was why he needed a pandora to help him control it. Only by sharing senses, by using her stigmata could he truly harness his power to kill the Nova. To avenge his mother and father, he needed a real partner.

But what would make Central any different? Tsunade seemed hopeful, but as to why she had not explained that to him.

His face hardened and Tsunade's smile slowly lost its glow. Again, he was falling into the dark trap that had kept him from gaining a partner. That darkness in his heart, the scars that would not heal continued to hold him back like chains to a leash.

"What makes you think this year will be any different from the last?" A simple question, but one she did not have an answer to.

"The pandora here have some of the highest compatibility rates on the planet; if we can't find you a partner here, then there is not one to be found." She said with confidence, though it had a weary undertone.

The game of cat and mouse Naruto had been playing for the past few years was coming to an end, for better or worse. Chevalier would not accept any further delays, they wanted progress. Hardliners pushed for further pandora expansion, radicals called for mass production of Naruto's body type, and the moderates found themselves the in the middle, muzzled like a dog as the world came to a fork in the road.

"Well, that's the best news I've heard in a while." She seemed puzzled by his response, so Naruto explained. "It's almost over, no matter what happens this year. It is my last before I graduate, right?"

Tsunade said nothing, clearly not happy about that fact. A fourth year limiter was not simply a rare occurrence, it was not something that was designed to happen. A limiter was to be selected by a 2nd year pandora student in his 1st year and graduate with her by his third and final year.

Naruto was unable to do so because of the constant incompatibilities found between him and the pandoras that chose him as their partner. Often, those mismatches had lethal consequences that were out of Naruto's ability to control. Before he could be given the chance to try again, rumors spread and no girl would go near him from fear of dying.

Tsunade had faith, perhaps blind, that the girls at Central would be able to finally serve as the catalyst to unlocking the powers hidden within him. It wasn't enough to just find a partner that could survive the baptism, they required a pandora that could successfully work in conjunction with Naruto via an Ereinbar Set without going insane by joining senses.

It was a tall order she was asking of the pandora, but it was for the future of mankind. The least Naruto could receive in return was the loving embrace she knew he desired. After years of ridicule and isolation, for just someone to wrap their arms around him lovingly would finally set him free.

That was what she desired to give him at Central.

"_Ma'am, we will be landing momentarily." _The pilot's voice came over the radio as the aircraft began to slow down for descent.

They shared the rest of the short ride in silence. Both hoping for the ordeal to be over with as soon as possible.

The rear hatch of the VTOL aircraft began to open and a gust wind hit them. Blinding light disappeared as the craft rotated and oriented its rear away from the sun, toward the academy. Waiting for them was a small entourage of people Naruto could only guess were staff and high ranking officials, waiting to see what freak the Headmistress had picked up.

Naruto steeled himself for the worst as the aircraft finally touched down. He removed his seat belt and stood up with Tsunade before heading down the loading ramp. Offering a hand to the older woman, he helped her gracefully leave their transport behind before turning to see the crowd.

It wasn't as bad as he thought, as he couldn't see any of the gold crosses he often saw in conjunction with Chevalier uniforms. The only ones to greet them were two staff members and a couple of well mannered pandora who all bowed upon the Headmistresses arrival.

"Welcome back, Headmistress." Said the taller pandora, her pink hair falling past her shoulders with two thick strands framing her face and chest.

Emerald eyes shifted their gaze to Naruto, and her interest seemed piqued. Her pink eyebrows framed her mischievous eyes perfectly as they took in Naruto for what he was; new meat.

Her assistant was little better, barely able to hide her nosebleed by adjusting her glasses. The red hair that made her stand out blended so well with her blushing face, Naruto thought of her as a tomato.

"Fubuki, Karin. Thank you for joining us." Tsunade said, though her face made it clear their behavior was not something she approved.

"Welcome back, ma'am." One of the teachers said, her black hair contrasted her crimson eyes so well it was almost entrancing.

"Thank you, Kurenai." Tsunade looked at the other one: a trench coat wearing woman with a purple ponytail. "Anko, have you prepared Naruto-kun's medical records?"

The supposed doctor nodded in assent. "Yes ma'am, our facilities are ready for the tests."

Naruto audibly groaned: more tests? That was the last thing he wanted.

"Hang in there, Naruto-kun. It won't take long, I promise." Tsunade understood, but they were necessary to ensure he was healthy and prepared to enter the populace. "Afterward, the student council president and vice president will show you around, right girls?" She turned to address the two pandora who quickly nodded, their recovery from before complete.

"Very well then, let's go."

Naruto followed the group as they headed for the main building, but his mind was elsewhere. A foreboding aura already seemed to be setting over the school, and his stomach lurched. Was it simple nervousness, or was his body trying to tell him something.

Nearby, a pair of eyes that had been watching the entire exchange disappeared down a dark alley. The only part of them a person might have seen was the oversized scarf they wore tightly around their neck.

000

In a room that seemed to be stained red, a young woman sat in front of a mirror. With her own two hands, she was applying a subtle touch of makeup to accentuate her already outstanding features. Behind her, two pairs of hands carefully brushed and smoothed her hair in her preferred style. Below, a young boy was painting her toenails a dark crimson to match their well polished finger equivalents.

"Mmm..that feels nice." The buxom vixen sunk back in the old-fashioned piece of wooden furniture, enjoying the feeling of attention she was receiving.

To go out without spending so much time on her personal features would be a travesty, so despite it being so late in the afternoon, Fuka remained in her room. Besides, it wasn't as if there was anywhere she desired to be, at least, not yet. Rumor had it that someone new was coming to Central Genetics, and she wanted to know just what kind of type the "new" arrival was.

If it was her type, she had to look her best.

A wet feeling on her leg brought her out of her musings. Her limiter was overstepping his bounds by kissing her without permission. Though she made it a habit to remain naked while in her room, even with her male company, she did not excuse such behavior. In a twisted way, she took pride in the 'training' she gave to those with her stigmata inside of them.

With a swift strike to his head, the servant was put back in his place. Quickly, he continued to paint the rest of her nails before she decided he needed more punishment. The heat of her arousal inches from his face, that overwhelming scent—it was too much to bear. How could he not leap at the chance to assault his master when given that kind of opportunity?

Fuka's attention turned elsewhere when the door opened and quickly shut. Her last limiter had made himself known, a cute boy with spiky brown hair. He was one of the new first years, a recent acquisition. The only thing that bothered her, apart from his whining, was the damn scarf he always wore. The training wasn't complete though, so she had time to bend him.

"Konohamaru, did you do as I asked?"

"Yes, Fuka-sama." He watched with wide eyes as the older woman stood up, completely bare.

The slight jiggle that shook her bosom as she turned toward him occupied his attention. Despite having been her limiter for the past few weeks, he was still in awe of Fuka's beauty. Though the older boys said he was nothing but a toy for her amusement, in his mind it was all worth it.

A devious grin found itself planted on Fuka's visage. Already, she could tell the news would be worth listening to. The anticipation almost made her wet from excitement.

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki, and he's my senior. Around your age, actually." That wasn't something she was expecting, her brow wrinkled.

How could there be a limiter her age? Was he part of the Chevalier? Lost his partner and seeking a new one?

"And?" There was surely more and Fuka wanted to hear all of it.

"Um..blonde, blue eyed. Tall, as tall as Fubuki-senpai. She was there to welcome him, along with Karin-senpai." Fuka grimaced, that bitch must have had an ulterior motive.

So, she knew something about Naruto before he arrived. Of course, she must have been curious too. Fuka would have to move carefully to ensure Fubuki and her lackeys didn't get a chance to latch onto the new arrival.

"After he arrived, they were headed toward the medical center. I'm not sure what it was, but something about him made it seem like he was unique." There was just a certain aura Naruto gave off that Konohamaru had picked up on.

Serious and cold was how he wanted to describe him, but he wasn't sure if that would satisfy Fuka.

"Hmph. Of course he's special, otherwise I wouldn't be interested." Her frown deepened as she realized that meeting Naruto wouldn't be as easy as she thought, let alone taking him for herself.

"When they are done at the medical center, the Headmistress said Fubuki-senpai should show him around. And that was it, nothing else." He fidgeted nervously, unsure whether his answers were satisfactory.

A soft hand found itself cupping his cheek in a comforting manner. He looked up to see Fuka smiling down at him, her eyes betrayed a mischievous plan being hatched. With her bosom inches from his face, Konohamaru missed the fact that her smile was not directed at him, and it was anything but grateful.

"Thank you, Konohamaru." To keep him in line, she whispered thanks in his ear.

A light consumed her as she whispered something under her breath. In the space of a moment, Fuka was fully clothed in the academy's pandora uniform: A maroon red blouse and skirt. The heels and white stockings accentuated the fourth year's long, healthy legs and served to add to her overall sex appeal.

"I think it's time we start the day. The temptress has found her next conquest."

000

"And this is the cafeteria, where we enjoy all of our meals. I thought you would appreciate this as the last stop, considering the time." Fubuki said to Naruto as they found themselves in the middle of the lunch rush.

Seeing his disposition had not improved since they began the tour, Fubuki hid her frown. When they told her about some of his past, she had expected him to not be the happiest person but what she hadn't counted on was just how cold he really was.

"Sorry Naruto-kun, you must have been bored hearing the same speech you heard at East and West, right?" She asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, something like that." Naruto responded with little enthusiasm, his attention elsewhere.

"Hm. Perhaps it would be best if we leave you to your own devices for a little while. If you need anything feel free to find me or Karin." Both parties would do well to get some space from one another. "Come on, Karin."

"H-hai!" The red head called out in haste after being awoken from her day dream.

As the two girls disappeared into the crowd, Naruto felt a weight lift from his shoulders. Though he appreciated their efforts, everything they said was something he already knew. Regardless of its relatively new construction, Central was the same as the rest of Japan's Genetics program. The same uniforms, the same buildings, sometimes even the same faces; it was all nauseating to experience.

"Oi, you in line or what?" Naruto turned around to look at a boy near his age with tanned skin and black hair tied into a ponytail.

Behind him was a girl with strawberry blonde hair and aquamarine eyes. A long blade of hair covered one side of her face, with the rest of it pulled behind her head.

"Ah, no." The limiter looked him over for a second before his eyes widened a bit.

"Eh, you're new here? Being a new arrival this late in the semester must be a drag." It was said as more of a statement than a question, but Naruto nodded regardless.

"Shikamaru, quit being rude and introduce yourself." The girl shouted before bonking him on the head.

"Eh, sorry. I'm Shikamaru Nara. Second year. This is my extremely loud partner, Ino Yamanaka." Another hit over the head served to curb his sarcastic drawl.

A bright smile came over the pandora as she addressed Naruto. She seemed too happy for the situation, and it served to creep Naruto out.

"So, what's your name? Age? Height?" Battering him with questions, the girl's face steadily got closer and closer to his.

"Uh..I'm Naruto Uzumaki, and I'm a fourth year." Both Ino and Shikamaru perked up.

"Fourth year? You are...Chevalier?!"

"Uzumaki?! You mean _the _Kushina Uzumaki that created the Maelstrom Turn?!"

Of course as a pandora, Ino would know more about the advanced high end skills than Shikamaru would. And then, Shikamaru would find the year difference between Naruto and him staggering enough to try and deduce the reason why he was there.

Tired of the question and answer, Naruto took a literal step back.

"Hey, I'm going to eat. It was good meeting you." As soon as Naruto turned around, his eyes caught someone new enter the cafeteria.

She was tall, taller than he was. Her red hair that reminded him vaguely of his mother fell all the way down her back and fanned out to her sides. That buxom chest of hers seemed to be the main attraction the boys around her looked at, but she paid them no heed. Following in her wake was a group of limiters, their steps in sync with each other and the pandora in front.

_'Limiters of hers? Why does she have so many...'_

"That's Fuka, better known as 'The Limiter Temptress'." Naruto turned his head in surprise to see a hooded boy standing to his right. "For lack of a better description, she collects limiters she finds interesting as trophies."

"Who the hell are you?" Naruto asked, derailing the conversation.

"I'm Shino Aburame." His voice was quiet, dry. Shino's appearance was made even more strange by the fact he wore such dark shades indoors. "And that is my partner, Fu." Naruto turned his head and saw a girl with mint gum hair approaching them with food trays.

"Shino-kun, come on." She indicated he follow her to a nearby table, and the young man headed off without another word.

The sudden appearance and departure left a lasting impression on Naruto, and it was anything but stellar. By that time, Fuka had disappeared into the crowd and he was still without a lunch.

The next thing he knew, some boy with an overgrown hound was getting thrown around by an annoyed pandora. Apparently he had tried asking to be her limiter too many times and she was finally fed up. Calling him 'dog breath', she launched him straight through a window and out into the courtyard.

Not believing the lack of discipline in the school, Naruto wondered what he had gotten himself into.

"This school is fucking insane."

He decided to grab bread and leave the cafeteria immediately. Maybe he wasn't so thankful to be left alone there after all.

000

"A body made of anti-nova tissue? What does that even mean?"

"It's very similar to a stigmatic body, in which the person has a greater compatibility and corrosion rate with nova tissue. The key difference is how the user interacts with nova tissue; stigmatic expands and corrodes, anti-nova burns and destroys."

Anko and Kurenai found themselves looking over Naruto's medical records on Tsunade's request. She wanted them to understand the new student in order to better help support his acclimatization. What they were seeing on the computer screen shocked them as a simulation showed what happened when stigmata interacted with the anti-nova body.

"As shown in previous baptism experiments, Naruto's body not only rejected and destroyed the stigmata almost immediately, but also wounded the pandora should she have remained close to him. Odd that touching him normally incurs no such reaction."

Anko found the entire process very interesting, but Kurenai wasn't as excited. The last thing she wanted was for any of the students she was responsible for to be hurt.

"So, is there any way we can stop the anti-nova effect from harming the pandora or her stigmata?" She asked her colleague who seemed as if she was waiting for the question.

"I'm glad you asked." Anko furiously typed on the keyboard as more statistics filled the screen. "We can begin to pick apart the favorable conditions needed for Naruto to have a successful baptism by the variances in each scenario."

A list began to form as each variable was extracted from the individual reports.

"Let's see..it seems the anti-nova effect can be heavily influenced by Naruto's emotional and mental state during the baptism. Compatibility rates between him and the pandora also seem to affect the outcome, and that includes her stigmata numbers and corrosion rate. Willpower and emotional strength in the pandora can also affect the outcome." That information was just from the paltry few experiments carried out so far, there were surely other scenarios that had simply not been tested.

"So what does all of this mean, Anko?"

The scantily clad medical officer leaned back in her chair, sighing.

"It means that it was no surprise Naruto had adverse reactions in the past. With all of these factors to take into account, it's leagues higher in complexity to what pandora are used to when it comes to picking a partner."

From what they were reading, it was Naruto who was the one that had to pick his partner carefully rather than the other way around. If he was comfortable with that person, if that person cared for him and had the mental fortitude to outlast the initial pain and corrosion, then there was a chance, but a slim one, that a successful baptism could occur.

"Whatever we do, we have to make sure to carefully oversee the courting process between him and the pandoras on campus. For both their sakes, we can't let a mismatched pair try and link." Uncharacteristically serious, Anko said to her partner.

"That much is clear." Kurenai took a sip from her drink, it had gone cold. "Watching out for him, it's the least we can do for Kushina."

Anko nodded. They both owed that woman their lives after the 13th clash. And if there was anything Kushina loved more than Minato, it was her son.

000

Fuka found herself walking through the fitness center, a place she rarely used. The sweat that came from exercising bothered her more than anyone would ever understand. The novelty of watching the boys work out had worn off since her first year at the academy.

Because of that, Naruto had better of felt flattered she was willing to enter such a deplorable place to meet him.

In front of her was Konohamaru, her little spy in the midst of the student body. She had tasked him with finding Naruto after the school activities for the day had ended. Much to her surprise that, instead of heading straight to his dorm or going off to see the headmistress, he had been in the fitness center for hours.

"He was right over here, Fuka-sama." They passed through another set of double doors to find a secluded area of the building, all for Naruto to have some peace and quiet.

The sounds of weights hitting one another clashed with Naruto's loud, powerful grunts. Despite herself, Fuka couldn't help but find herself enamored with the blonde as he used the bench press to full effect. Shirt off, she watched his sweaty shining pecs flex as each muscle worked to do his bidding. For a moment, she wondered what it would feel like for him to hold her in those large arms of his.

"Fuka-sama?" One of the boys called out, surprised to see her in a trance.

Generally it was the other way around. That said, Fuka had only preyed on those younger than her, so it was an easy feat to get them enraptured in her beauty. Now, she was looking at someone who was her equal in age, demeanor, and emotional maturity.

The challenge only served to excite her more.

"Excuse me." She called out to Naruto in order to get his attention, but he barely offered more than a passing glance.

With one final heave, he rested the barbell in its proper place and got up from the board. He used a towel to wipe away the sweat on his face, but felt too lazy to wipe the rest of it from his chest. Before he could truly enjoy his break, he noticed Fuka approach with a sour disposition and he silently cursed. It was then he knew that his peaceful night was about to get ugly, fast.

"I addressed you, the least you can do is respond." She said with annoyance clear in her tone, hands on her hips.

As if to accentuate her point, the other boys spread out around her and tried to encircle him. Naruto stood up to full height and easily dwarfed them, making their imposing formation not so effective.

"Sorry, I was in the middle of working out. I get too focused on certain things and forget my manners." The sarcasm was obvious, and Fuka noticed it, but she was willing to overlook the transgression.

"Never mind that, it isn't important." She said with a wave of her hand, that same devilish smile returning. "I've come with a proposition: I want you to become my limiter."

To be honest, Naruto's first instinct was to groan. The second was to laugh. Instead, he settled with giving her a cold stare and followed it by pointing to her attendants.

"It looks like you already have your limiter quota covered."

As if she was expecting him to say that, Fuka turned and grabbed the nearest boy. Dark blue hair cropped short, his brown eyes widened in surprise as he wondered what his master would do.

"Ryota, you have been such a good boy...but I've found someone that is much more interesting than you." In a moment, she had ripped his uniform apart and had begun to painfully extract the gifted stigmata from the boy's chest.

His screams echoed the hall as the others watched in horror, but Naruto barely flinched. It was just as he expected, Fuka really had no shame. He had hoped the rumors were wrong, but it was obvious from the start what kind of a manipulative woman she was, and manipulative people weren't his favorite type.

"As you can see Naruto, I have an available spot right here." Fuka announced by holding up the bloody bit in her hand, the boy collapsing to the ground from shock.

Despite the bloody show, Fuka wasn't done. She began to saunter toward him, turning on the charm and sexual appeal that had won her over a dozen boys in the past. With but a single look, she would put him into a trance.

"Stay with me, and I will make your stay here the most enjoyable experience. Your days will be made of luxury, the nights ecstasy." Konohamaru scowled, those were the exact words she had said to him!

The feeling of being replaced, the transfer of going from number one to number two, was something he had not experienced before. It hurt, almost as much as Ryota's more literal experience. Hatred began to bubble upward toward Naruto, towards Fuka.

How dare she choose another guy over him?!

Her finger traced the pecs on Naruto's chest and she found herself being led astray, rather than the other way around. The perverted thoughts running through her head of what the night had in store distracted her from reality as Naruto roughly pushed past her to check on the bleeding boy.

Shocked by his reaction, her expression quickly turned dark. How dare he insult her a second time?

"What do you think you are doing?!"

Naruto had picked the boy up and was about to leave when she said that. He turned to look her straight in the eye, not afraid at all.

"Taking him to the recovery center, what does it look like? We limiters aren't pandora, we can't shake off a wound like that. Or is that something you forgot on your high horse?"

Konohamaru was amazed the older boy was actually standing up to Fuka. He turned to see what her response was, and he literally found himself recoiling at the site of her enraged figure. Never before had he seen her so angry, her eyes seemed to burn with hatred. Her fists shook at her sides, the hair that had been so carefully made earlier that day slowly fell flat as Fuka worked herself up.

It wasn't about looking pretty or making another conquest: that man had to pay for his actions. How dare he make a mockery out of her?!

"You..I'm going to punish you for that." Slowly, she began her approach.

Naruto recognized what was going on and handed the bleeding boy to one of the others. It seemed like conflict couldn't be avoided after all.

"Something you should know before we start." She actually paused to listen to what he had to say. "I hate manipulative bitches."

"You little..." Her voice shook as she glared murder at him, Fuka's body barely able to control itself.

Never before had she dealt with such an insolent man. Truly, she would have to beat the truth out of him; how much he wanted to be by her side, how sorry he was for his words. After she was through with him, there would be two headed for the infirmary.

"Volt Weapon: Chaos Mirror!"

000

Even with short stories, I can make cliffhangers. I enjoyed writing that, so hopefully you enjoyed reading it.

Let me know what you thought in a review.


	4. Book 1 -- Mei Terumi -- 01

Freezing: Naruto Chronicles

Chapter 01

Mei Terumi; "Shining Beauty of the East"

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Freezing.**

"Speaking"

_'Thinking'_

"_Whisper"_

_Radio_

The following stories should not be considered sequential in a chronological order and each one is mostly isolated from the others in plot. They may vary wildly in length and will not necessarily follow any pattern or format.

Pandora Mode here resembles the anime and the later manga mode rather than the armor, as all of the stories take place in the future after the current freezing timeline. Research has yielded fruit to improving Pandora's combat effectiveness and slimming down the armor so that it isn't necessary anymore.

000

_Central Genetics_

_Training Center_

000

In one of the stadiums used by pandora to train and duel one another, Mei and Naruto were preparing to undergo a precautionary compatibility test. They stood on opposite sides of the field, both wearing their respective combat uniforms. Mei's red chevalier uniform clashed with Naruto's blue and white limiter attire, and the color scheme supported the fact that they were on opposing sides.

Both had their eyes narrowed, body tense. They were ready for what was coming, but they didn't have to like it. The compatibility test was necessary to ensure they could safely bond, and so they had to endure it first before the baptism.

Since the other chevalier were long done, they were observing the battle behind the safety glass in the large booths overlooking the arena. With them was Headmistress Tsunade Senju and some of her staff; they were there to oversee the test and ensure everything went smoothly. In addition, medical personnel remained on standby in case one of them became seriously injured.

Lastly, there were a few men in uniform watching the match for themselves. Most were supporters of Naruto's project, and they hoped he would prove their investment was not wasted by the demonstration. Among them was a man by the name of Danzo Shimura, and he was well known as a staunch conservative in the chevalier. It was his hope that they could populate the world with anti-nova bodies like Naruto, so that men could be the ones to take the fight to the Nova rather than women.

Despite being called a sexist, he argued that it was time for a change in tactics since the pandoras had been unable to turn the tide of battle. If it meant men had to get involved on the front past being mere limiters, then he would by all means support that.

_Naruto-kun, Mei-san. We will begin the test shortly, prepare yourselves._

Tsunade's calm voice came over the intercom to alert them it was almost time.

With a deep breath, both of them readied themselves. In the next few minutes, they would find out if they were really meant to be partners or not.

The test itself was very simple: Mei had to either escape from Naruto's anti-nova field or reach him in order for the test to be a success. If she was unable to reach him or became incapacitated, then the test would end in failure.

_Start!_

The intercom blared, all eyes settled on the two test subjects.

"Volt Weapon: Bloody Wave!" Mei held her hands out in front of her as the weapon materialized itself from thin air.

In just a few seconds, the large spear had formed and found itself being expertly wielded with Mei's experienced hands. Better known as a Naginata in Japan, that weapon had been used to slaughter countless Nova spawn and Mei herself had destroyed her share of nova cores. Part of the test was to see how well she would be able to maintain her combat effectiveness while in the anti-nova field, so that was why she was required to wield it despite not having to fight Naruto.

She started running toward Naruto, tucking the blade under one arm. If she could just reach him, then the test would be over. In front of her, Naruto held up his hand as he prepared his attack.

Deep in concentration, Naruto squinted his eyes shut as he willed the power within him to emerge. Steadying his right arm with his left hand, he felt the burning sensation course through his body and outward toward the arena floor.

"Anti-nova field...activated!" Naruto shouted as the red lines scattered out in front of him and began to form a familiar yet deadly shape of freezing.

Instead of the normal blue illumination, his powers glowed a dark red. The entire room fell into the bloody darkness as it cast an ominous spotlight on their battle. Spectators were shocked by what they were seeing, never had they seen an attack like that. Whatever effect it would have on a pandora, it couldn't be good.

Eyes fell on Mei as the field finally reached her. She gritted her teeth in an attempt to endure the pain, but despite herself she couldn't stop from falling to one knee and screaming in pain. It was nothing like losing a limb or being stabbed by a blade; it was something that affected every cell in her body, a sharp burning sensation that drove her insane.

The attack was burning away the nova tissue that had already bonded with her normal cells in an indiscriminate fashion. How long was she expected to survive something like that?

"Mei!" Suiren shouted from behind the glass, her hand pressed against it as if to reach out and save her friend.

The red head looked like a madwoman, shouting to the heavens. Despite the pain, she was still holding herself together somehow. The volt weapon had disappeared from her hands though, one of the first casualties in her attempt to stay sane while under the field's effects.

Naruto's resolve shook as he watched her kneel on the ground, fighting the pain. It was spreading through her body every second and it wouldn't be long before she would be knocked unconscious from the pain, or die. He wanted to stop, but he had talked to her a lot right before the test had begun.

She told him that the test was too important to let their feelings get in the way. They had to make sure that the result wasn't skewed, or else they would regret it later. Mei had to feel the pain to know how to master it, that was what she told him.

But seeing her entire body writhe in agony made him shake in fear. The last thing he wanted to do was kill someone!

"..." With great effort, Mei fought the field to stand back up. "Pandora Mode!" She roared as light enveloped her body.

Soon, Mei could be seen to have taken on a new form. Halos of light formed around her wrists and ankles and her body radiated ice blue. Floating around her was some sort of metal slab, a shield to protect her from attack. Advances had been made since the first bulky suits of armor that had been used for pandora mode, and Mei knew how to use her enhanced body from constant practice.

The shining moment did not last long as the field remained as strong as ever. To her horror, she realized that even pandora mode afforded her little protection from the field's burning properties. If she wanted to win, she had to hurry.

In a mad dash, she began to run for Naruto. Despite her speed, she was still many yards away when her pandora mode deactivated on its own. The power exerted on it had just been too much. The pressure on her was so much that she couldn't concentrate to activate Accel, otherwise the test would have been over by then.

Tsunade watched the spectacle with anxiety. Though she had a hand in the creation of Naruto's anti-nova tissue, she had not seen its true power until now. She very much wanted to end the test, but she knew that the chevalier generals in attendance would not accept a draw. They wanted to see a win or a loss.

Mei fell to one knee just a few feet from Naruto. She let loose a groan of pain but willed her body to continue. No matter what, she had to finish. There was no other option.

All of her efforts would not be in vain to just to fall over and die there! One step after another, she crossed the distance in what felt like an eternity. Her body burned all over, but she resisted it until the end.

"Mei!" Naruto shouted as she fell forward, collapsing into his arms.

In spite of her wounds, the chevalier tried to touch his cheek with her hand. He grabbed her hand in an effort to comfort her, but his eyes shook when he saw her flaking, burnt skin. _That_ was what he had done to her, he had wounded her so badly.

Mei smiled as her body convulsed in agony. With a shaking finger, she poked his face that made him look at her funny.

"_Looks like..I won the bet.."_ She chided, her voice barely above a whisper.

Naruto looked at her as if she were insane. The bet they had made was that if she succeeded in the compatibility test, he would have no choice but to join her in the baptism ceremony. He wanted to avoid it at all costs to protect her, but even after sustaining those wounds, she was still so adamant about it.

Medical personnel emerged from the double doors behind him and ran out with a stretcher. They needed to attend to her body immediately if she was to survive. Not even during the initial tests had a pandora remained in his field for that long. There was no telling if the test had permanently damaged her stigmata or not.

By the time Naruto had Mei ripped from his arms, she had already fallen unconscious. Taken away by a procession of pandora and EMTs, Naruto was left alone in the middle of the arena. What was he supposed to do now?

"Naruto-kun, come on." He turned his head to see Tsunade standing there with Kurenai and Anko.

They were the last ones to leave it seemed. When they saw him shell shocked, they knew they had to do something to help him.

"What?" He asked, sure that they could not give him an answer he would be satisfied with.

He had practically killed a woman today. How could he do anything but think about her face in anguish, or hear the screams that still echoed the stadium?

"We'll take you to go see her. You're concerned, aren't you?" Kurenai said said with soft volume.

They must have thought he was about to go into shock. Chances were the medical personnel wanted him in the recovery center too, just in case he tried something drastic.

No matter how terrible he felt, Naruto knew he wouldn't go that far. To satisfy them, he nodded and tried to stand on his own, but felt his legs not work. No matter how hard he tried, they wouldn't stand up.

The next thing he knew, he could no longer hear anything. His head began to spin and he tried to hold himself together, but his eyes drifted to the hand covered in Mei's blood. Unable to process the world around him in denial, Naruto fell unconscious.

The last thing he remembered was Tsunade shouting toward the glass and his teachers trying to shake him to stay awake. It was a mute effort as he closed his eyes to dream.

000

Lying in the abyss, Naruto opened his eyes to darkness. The emptiness slowly populated itself with blurred memories of days past. How long had he been unconscious, floating alone?

The red threads of his mother's hair crossed his mind again. Such a peaceful memory from times in which she and his father were still alive. Not once since her death could he remember her face during his dreams, just those red strands.

New memories surfaced, the red hair turned violent and encircled him like a web. His skin began to burn and he realized he was reliving the sensations of the compatibility test. That was the pain he had inflicted on Mei, his own anti-nova tissue turned against him. The pain was intense, but his screams were silent.

Just as fast as it began, the violent attack ended with the sound of a voice. The doctors, they were calling out to him again. He couldn't wait around forever. Naruto had to face Mei soon. Staying in his dream world wouldn't last forever.

Baptism, what would it feel like? That thought occupied his mind as he closed his eyes and reopened them to the real world.

000

_Some time later..._

000

"So, you plan to go through with it?"

"No point in turning back now, is there?"

On the roof of the center academy building, Suiren and Mei stood near the railings. Together, they watched the beautiful sunset, unobstructed by the city surrounding them. Central Genetics found itself built on an overlook with the city of Kyoto below it. The walls of Genetics alone were enough to match some of the tallest skyscrapers the city had to offer.

The sights were not what either of the pandora were interested in though. The baptism between Mei and Naruto was to be that night, and there could be no delay. Pressure from headquarters had forced the chevalier to up their time table and prevent further tests, tests that were important to ensure Mei's safety.

As a captain in the pandora corps, she didn't have the luxury to argue with her superiors.

Still, Suiren was concerned about more than just the physical dangers. If what rumors they had to go on were true, the emotional strength of both individuals would affect the success of the baptism.

"How do you feel about him?" The blonde asked.

Mei's disposition didn't reveal much, but her shoulders slouched.

"He has a tough side to him. Distrustful. That seems to be his shield." It was very observant of her to notice that much from just the way he acted.

"Distrustful of what?"

"Everyone. Pandora, chevalier, even his fellow limiters. He has been disillusioned from the start, I suppose."

His powers were revolutionary, but he had yet to find a partner that could handle them. That was the start of his isolation, and it only started to crack when Mei succeeded in the compatibility test. He even stayed by her bedside in the recovery center out of concern. After finding someone that could survive, he seemed adamant about keeping that person close.

To succeed, she would have to use that.

"Is he your type?" Suiren smiled.

One of Mei's many themes was that she was always trying to find someone to marry. It was mostly for fun, especially since she hadn't searched for a limiter seriously since the 14th clash. That said, it didn't make her desire for a relationship any less real.

Mei smiled wryly, as if it were that simple.

"Can't say he's impressed me yet. He is in perfect physical condition, and his test scores are perfect. The question now is whether or not he can handle the battlefield or take orders."

Suiren's mood dropped as she realized something about her friend's comments.

"You haven't used his name once."

The red head's eyes widened a bit. She glanced at Suiren before realizing that her speech must have given something away.

"Mei, don't tell me you plan to manipulate him?" In spite of Mei's superiority, her friend's voice raised above the norm.

"I'll do what I have to, Suiren. We can't afford not to." To win, there had to be structure.

To have structure, one had to follow orders. Following orders required leverage, and Mei would have to become that leverage to control Naruto. For the good of everyone, that was what she had to do tonight.

"After realizing he distrusts everyone, you'll abuse him too...You can't." Suiren found herself standing up for a boy she didn't even know, but it was just wrong.

Even if they stripped away Naruto's feelings from the equation, if their emotional balance was shaken, Mei could become seriously injured. It was already a close call from the arena, who could know if she could survive it again.

"Suiren." Mei's voice remained calm, though inside she was in turmoil.

It was hard for her to make the choice, but she couldn't lose control of the situation. If Naruto got loose or broke from her orders, he could inflict serious damage on many pandoras. She wouldn't have a repeat of the last time she had a limiter, so she would stop at nothing to see her orders through.

"You'll regret doing this, Mei. You know it too, don't you?" The argument was over, but the blonde gave one last bite.

Mei turned toward her fully. Her dark lips curved upward despite her eyes being anything but happy. It was clear she knew exactly what a terrible act it was she going to commit.

"I know, and I'm okay with it."

Her mouth said one thing, but their minds were thinking the same. That Mei was lying, but couldn't bring herself to admit it.

000

Mei and Naruto walked through the labyrinth buildings of the headquarters together. Since he didn't know the way to where they were going, Mei walked in front. That led to an uncomfortable silence as neither could think of anything to say.

Considering they were headed toward the room where their baptism ceremony would be held, it was awkward. He wondered if that was how all limiters had felt, but then stopped. Naruto wasn't a limiter, not really. It was just a stroke of luck he even found a partner, but then he wondered who was really lucky.

It wasn't him and it definitely wasn't Mei. Would it have been more accurate to say the Chevalier as an organization were the ones that were most rewarded? The generals who finally had all the funding and support they needed to continue their research, they were the ones who could smile.

Naruto couldn't smile, not when he knew what kind of life he would be living. If he wasn't someone's guinea pig, he was an object to be used on the front line.

He doubted Mei felt any different about the arrangements, but she had the discipline of a pandora. She knew there was no room to complain or wish for more. To her, following orders surely was a normal way of life.

"Here we are." Mei announced, turning to the side so Naruto could see.

It was a metal slab, one of the many stainless steel doors that made up Central's primary command and control building. There wasn't any room for aesthetics considering the circumstances, so they would have to deal with what the medical staff had arranged for.

She input the code on the door and waited for the screen to light up green. Shortly after, the door opened and let them see the inside. It was very spartan: a single bed in the middle of the room with no other significant pieces of furniture. All around them were cameras—some small and obscure, others not so much.

Forget spartan, it was a jail cell. There was little doubt in his mind that there were countless personnel on standby in case something happened during the event. Privacy was the first thing to go.

"Well, they weren't subtle about it." Mei groaned.

With little enthusiasm, both walked inside and approached the bed. Despite being alone, they could feel hundreds of eyes on them.

"What are we supposed to do?" Naruto asked after a lengthy silence.

Mei tried to perk up at his question. She had to remind herself that the tests he had been in were never completed. By that point, he had probably figured that any kind of procedure he had participated in was the wrong way of doing things.

In reality, it was relatively simple. He didn't even have to do anything.

"Come here." She patted the bed and beckoned for him to sit.

Hesitant, Naruto let loose a nervous sigh and sat down at her request. They had to make the best of their situation, and fighting her wouldn't yield any results. She was the expert, after all.

Mei remained standing directly in front of him. In preparation for the event, she had made sure to actually wear the uniform rather than use the volt texture. It would allow her to keep her modesty and stop Naruto from being so embarrassed.

_'He's so young..despite his age.'_ The way his eyes almost innocently followed her nimble hands as she unzipped her blouse made him look like a virgin.

Chances were, he still was one because of his reputation. If he was just a normal limiter, he would live up to the legend of his father, the yellow flash, with sheer looks.

Carefully, she let the coat slide down her shoulders to reveal much of her chest and back. Mei's pale skin was a thing of delicate beauty, something she was well known for. She was a man killer in more ways than one.

Naruto couldn't take his eyes off of her, despite knowing what was about to happen. The way she held the clothing up with just her hands made her look so vulnerable, it seemed impossible for a mature woman like her to appear so fragile. That must have been part of her irresistible charm.

With one arm keeping her chest hidden, the other reached around to her backside to part her hair. The herringbone style was unique and attractive, but the length of her hair made it a bit unwieldy. With some effort she was able to move enough of it to the side to reach her stigmata.

Five in total, they were arranged in the shape of a Y, with two splitting off to either side and the rest trailing down her spine. They were a gift that had allowed her to defeat the nova and protect those close to her, for the most part. She had only given them to one other person, and he died a long time ago. It was time to give her new partner one as a token of faith.

"Ready?" She asked him with a hard tone, removing the stigmata was a bit painful.

It had been a while since she experienced that pain and it acted as a splash of water to remind her of what she was doing.

"..." Naruto watched as her hand returned: that time holding a small, silver bit.

A stigmata, that was going to go inside of him. It was an odd thought, even chilling when alluded to where it would be placed.

"Open your shirt. It isn't fair I'm the only one showing skin." Even in their situation, Mei was trying to lighten the mood.

Slowly and with a few mistakes made in anxiety, Naruto's school uniform was removed completely. That left him with only his pants and shoes on.

Mei approached, leaving only a hair's width between them. Because of her height, Naruto's face was inches from her bosom. Smiling in an attempt to ease his anxiety, she got up onto the bed and straddled his lap.

Instead of being inches from it, Naruto's face was now entrenched within Mei's ample breasts. He adapted quickly and leaned back on the bed, using his arms for support. It was obvious he was uncomfortable and confused by her actions, but he would understand soon enough.

"Sorry, but I like to get close for this part." Mei sent him a wink before she laid her eyes on the center of his chest, right between his defined pecs.

Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat as she casually let her own coat fall to the ground. Now they were both naked from the waist up.

"Ho-how many others..have you done this with?" He wasn't jealous, but the way she said that made it seem as if she had been in that position a dozen times.

Surprised by the nature of the question, Mei lost her concentration. It was such an innocent question she couldn't lie to him.

"Just one, but he's gone now." She said it with such a somber pitch. Naruto was sure he brought out old, painful memories.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to.." He struggled for the right words as he realized he was already messing up the entire process.

Mei's confidence returned with the shift in power. Below her, rubbing against her was something solid. It seemed that not only Naruto's mind but his body was honest with her.

"You shouldn't be apologizing when you are enjoying the free show. If I had a limiter, you wouldn't be getting to see these.." To accentuate her point, Mei pressed her breasts against one another and gave Naruto a bit of a show.

There was no denying he was attracted to her. Naruto wanted her, but the powers within him held him back from committing. No matter how he acted on the outside, no matter how rude he was to pandoras, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt anybody. He had already done enough in the past, and so now he was scared to get close to someone like Mei.

Unfortunately, she wouldn't give him the choice.

It was obvious when Naruto had been entranced by her. He didn't respond to outside stimuli, he ignored the cameras watching them. Now that the anxiety was gone, it was time for the main event.

Her hand holding the stigmata pressed against Naruto's chest. With a bit of effort, she began to push the small hexagonal block into his body. There was some resistance, but that was normal. She, along with everyone else watching from the cameras, were waiting for something abnormal. It could range from the stigmata being rejected to all of Mei's body being horribly burned by his anti-nova tissue.

None of the worst case scenarios happened. Their eyes watched as the stigmata fully embedded itself in Naruto's body without any fuss. She let loose a sigh she didn't know she had been holding before smiling.

The blonde couldn't hold himself back any longer. His arms reached around and held Mei close to him as he buried himself into her chest.

At first she thought he wanted to do something entirely different, and she was about to let him continue, but then she felt something wet slide down her chest. It was at that point she realized Naruto was crying. Eyebrows raised as she was dumbfounded by the spectacle.

"Naruto?" She called out to him, unsure of what he was doing.

Though it was muffled by her own body, she finally understood what he had been mumbling since the baptism ended.

"_Thank you._.thank you so much." At a loss for words, Mei could only think to wrap her own arms around his head and cradle it.

_'He really is young, isn't he?'_ Inside, she laughed a bit.

They remained there for the longest time—Mei petting the back of his head with a maternal smile and Naruto unable to hold back his relief of finally becoming someone's partner.

Finally, he wouldn't have to hurt anyone. He had Mei.

000

In one of the many training arenas, the chevalier pandora had gathered with Naruto and Mei to undergo a unique training exercise. In order to better condition their bodies for future situations, the chevalier generals had suggested that they be subjected to Naruto's anti-nova field. Mei requested the headmistress fight the order, but it was impossible to refuse them.

The last thing she wanted to do was submit her comrades to that same pain if she could avoid it, but she could see the logic behind the order. It was possible that Naruto's field would still affect them, despite his attempts to control it and focus it on the Nova.

They needed to know what they were getting into at least.

She knew Naruto wouldn't go along with it, so she refused to tell him until it was time for him to use his powers.

"Activate your field!" She shouted again, as Naruto stood there as if he hadn't heard her correctly.

Was she really asking him to use his powers on friendly forces? All he could think of was her screams of pain during the last trial, and his hands shook. He tried to raise his hand and gather strength, but his entire body shut down when he saw their faces looking right back at him. He didn't want to hurt any of them, he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he saw them endure the same pain forced on Mei.

No, he wouldn't do it! If she asked him, even ordered him, it just wasn't something he could do.

"I..I can't do it." Naruto hesitated, dropping his arm.

Suiren watched the conflict transpire across Naruto's face. He wanted so badly to do what Mei wanted, but his kind nature just wouldn't let him hurt anyone.

"Naruto-kun." She gained so much respect for the young boy at that moment, regardless of Mei's anger.

"I gave you an order!" Mei marched over to Naruto and held him by the neck of his shirt.

It was just as she feared—he really wouldn't abide by orders so easily. She would have to get rough with him if she wanted him to do as she wished. They couldn't afford to let his feelings get in the way of war.

"Do as I say: activate your anti-nova field on these pandora, _now_!" Naruto's eyes widened; he couldn't believe she was asking him to do that after the pain she herself had experienced.

Suddenly, he hardened his gaze to something akin to when they first met each other. If his feelings couldn't reach her, then he wouldn't waste his time.

"No." He responded simply, but with strength.

Annoyed, Mei briefly considered physically punishing him but thought better of it. It wouldn't do anyone any good if she hurt him. What else could she do to have him follow the order?

"Mei, stop." Suiren came forward with the other chevalier.

They must have realized what she was thinking of doing. The red head looked down and realized that her free hand had formed into a fist—she hadn't even realized it.

"Captain, don't take it out on him."

"He was only doing what he thought was right."

"It isn't something you can force out of him."

The rest of the chevalier stuck up for Naruto, despite being her subordinates. She turned her head to look at them, in disbelief that they would betray her.

"You guys.."

Suddenly, the intercom crackled as it came online. Over it, a female voice shouted out a bone chilling alert.

_Code One alert! I repeat, Code One alert!_

_'Nova..'_ Mei thought, releasing Naruto from her grip.

Things just got a lot more complicated for all of them.

000

Well, hopefully we keep things interesting as our little story progresses. I hope you enjoyed Mei's second installment as much as I did.

Be on the lookout for the Bonus Book teasers at the conclusion of every book. The last chapter released for each book should have some sort of short blurb or update on the bonus book which I am really excited about.

I will also be adding summaries to the Book chart after each book is complete to give a better idea of what happens in each one. It is mainly for future readers but you might enjoy reading it too.

Leave a review and tell me what you thought about the chapter and what you think the bonus book might be!

Hint: It's a character I've wanted to write for before but just haven't had the chance to! Old readers might remember a Valentine's day teaser I released a long time ago with her in it.


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